We're on our way home in our Scamp and stopped at my niece's home. My grand niece is the sweetest young woman I know. I support her reading, any book can be her's. She shares them with me and while here I just read The Blackthorn Key.

Blackthorn is a mystery about apothecaries in London in the 1600's, a marvelous story of apothecaries, the history of the times and life during the period. It's a fast paced book definitely written for a teenager but delightful for a 73 year old, delightful while being educational.

My grand niece also does gymnastics and introduced me to a simple exercise. It's like the planks I suggested in another post but even simpler, they're called Super Girls and stress a different set of muscles than planks.

You lie on your stomach and lift your legs and your arms like you were flying like super girl. You hold your leg and arms up for 10 to 20 seconds. Lower your limbs and repeat as many times as you can, The first day you may only be able to do one but you'll feel the effect almost immediately.

My grand niece is forever adding to my life, trying the new and the different keeps me going.

Sounds like a good book! I love novels that have a historical context. Thanks for sharing!

My daughter is also a gymnast, and she is constantly challenging me to try some of her conditioning exercises! Throughout the summer months, they are given at home conditioning to do each day, in addition to their regular practices. Last summer I tried to adopt her conditioning schedule and it was HARD! But by the end of the summer, I felt so much stronger. I have the utmost respect for how hard a gymnast works!

Life is so short, though I'm happy for our 73 years, there really is so much to know, to try and to learn in this relatively short life. I'm always thrilled to be introduced to something new and am always happy to listen to the young.

You and your grand niece might be interested in Gail Carriger's steampunk novels about Victorian England- complete with vampires and werewolves who are full citizens in the British Empire in its heyday.
The original run was Soulless, Changeless, Heartless, Blameless, Timeless. The first 2 were made into a 3 part manga under the name Soulless.
Her young adult series is a prequel of the time approximately 25 years prior - the Finishing School series. Espionage and Etiquette, Curtsies and Conspiracies, Waistcoats and Weaponry, and Manners and Mutiny.
There are also 2 sequels to the "less" series, featuring the daughter of the hero and heroine. Prudence is out and Imprudence is due out this summer.
Just passing on some reads I have really enjoyed.

I'de start with "Soulless", read the 'less books in order, then bounce to "finishing school" series to read the prequels. Reading the'less books really gives you a bit more of a handle on the integration of the "supernaturals" with "daylight" folk.